(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a structure for housing and cooling the electronic components of a personal computer. More particularly, this invention relates to a cooling system for personal computers by natural convection rather than by mechanical air handling equipment.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In the design of structures for housing power-carrying electronic components, dissipation of heat generated by the electronic components housed within the enclosure is a major design consideration. A design providing inadequate heat dissipation can lead to heat buildup which can cause component failure.
To prevent heat buildup, enclosures for electronic equipment are typically vented on the bottom and top of the enclosure to provide an air inlet and outlet, respectively. A fan is used to force air through the enclosure thereby exhausting the heated air. Such an enclosure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,445 assigned to Microscience. Other designs use a heat exchanger rather than a fan to cool the heated air. Such a design is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,386 by Sydney W. Frey, Jr. et al.
The noise caused by a fan is a disadvantage in some environments, as is the dependence on mechanical devices subject to breakdown. While heat exchangers eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages of mechanically cooled enclosures, they are complicated.
Therefore, it is a primary objective of this invention to provide a simple and effective fanless convection cooling system for electronic components.